<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<xbrl
  xmlns="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"
  xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026"
  xmlns:ffd="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ffd/2026"
  xmlns:iso4217="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217"
  xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"
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  xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
  xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
    <link:schemaRef
      xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ffd/2026/ffd-2026.xsd"
      xlink:type="simple"/>
    <context id="rc">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001123494</identifier>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-06-08</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-06-08</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="offrl_1">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001123494</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:typedMember dimension="ffd:OfferingAxis">
                    <dei:lineNo>1</dei:lineNo>
                </xbrldi:typedMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-06-08</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-06-08</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <context id="offrl_2">
        <entity>
            <identifier scheme="http://www.sec.gov/CIK">0001123494</identifier>
            <segment>
                <xbrldi:typedMember dimension="ffd:OfferingAxis">
                    <dei:lineNo>2</dei:lineNo>
                </xbrldi:typedMember>
            </segment>
        </entity>
        <period>
            <startDate>2026-06-08</startDate>
            <endDate>2026-06-08</endDate>
        </period>
    </context>
    <unit id="USD">
        <measure>iso4217:USD</measure>
    </unit>
    <unit id="pure">
        <measure>pure</measure>
    </unit>
    <unit id="Shares">
        <measure>shares</measure>
    </unit>
    <ffd:FormTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-189">S-8</ffd:FormTp>
    <ffd:SubmissnTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-190">S-8</ffd:SubmissnTp>
    <ffd:FeeExhibitTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-191">EX-FILING FEES</ffd:FeeExhibitTp>
    <dei:EntityCentralIndexKey contextRef="rc" id="ixv-192">0001123494</dei:EntityCentralIndexKey>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName contextRef="rc" id="ixv-193">HARVARD BIOSCIENCE INC</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <ffd:OfferingTableNa contextRef="rc" id="hiddenrcOfferingTableNa" xsi:nil="true"/>
    <ffd:OffsetTableNa contextRef="rc" id="hiddenrcOffsetTableNa">N/A</ffd:OffsetTableNa>
    <ffd:PrevslyPdFlg contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-196">false</ffd:PrevslyPdFlg>
    <ffd:PrevslyPdFlg contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-197">false</ffd:PrevslyPdFlg>
    <ffd:FormTp contextRef="rc" id="ixv-231">S-8</ffd:FormTp>
    <dei:EntityRegistrantName contextRef="rc" id="ixv-232">HARVARD BIOSCIENCE INC</dei:EntityRegistrantName>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTp contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-233">Equity</ffd:OfferingSctyTp>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTitl contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-234">Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</ffd:OfferingSctyTitl>
    <ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-235">true</ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg>
    <ffd:AmtSctiesRegd
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="0"
      id="ixv-236"
      unitRef="Shares">400000</ffd:AmtSctiesRegd>
    <ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-237"
      unitRef="USD">6.38</ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty>
    <ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-238"
      unitRef="USD">2552000.00</ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric>
    <ffd:FeeRate
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="7"
      id="ixv-239"
      unitRef="pure">0.0001381</ffd:FeeRate>
    <ffd:FeeAmt
      contextRef="offrl_1"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-240"
      unitRef="USD">352.43</ffd:FeeAmt>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTp contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-241">Equity</ffd:OfferingSctyTp>
    <ffd:OfferingSctyTitl contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-242">Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</ffd:OfferingSctyTitl>
    <ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-243">true</ffd:FeesOthrRuleFlg>
    <ffd:AmtSctiesRegd
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="0"
      id="ixv-244"
      unitRef="Shares">120000</ffd:AmtSctiesRegd>
    <ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-245"
      unitRef="USD">6.38</ffd:MaxOfferingPricPerScty>
    <ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-246"
      unitRef="USD">765600.00</ffd:MaxAggtOfferingPric>
    <ffd:FeeRate
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="7"
      id="ixv-247"
      unitRef="pure">0.0001381</ffd:FeeRate>
    <ffd:FeeAmt
      contextRef="offrl_2"
      decimals="2"
      id="ixv-248"
      unitRef="USD">105.73</ffd:FeeAmt>
    <ffd:TtlOfferingAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-249" unitRef="USD">3317600.00</ffd:TtlOfferingAmt>
    <ffd:TtlFeeAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-250" unitRef="USD">458.16</ffd:TtlFeeAmt>
    <ffd:TtlOffsetAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-251" unitRef="USD">0.00</ffd:TtlOffsetAmt>
    <ffd:NetFeeAmt contextRef="rc" decimals="2" id="ixv-252" unitRef="USD">458.16</ffd:NetFeeAmt>
    <ffd:OfferingNote contextRef="offrl_1" id="ixv-253">(1)	Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), this registration statement also covers such an indeterminate amount of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), as may become issuable to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends and similar events.
(2)	The amount registered consists of up to 400,000 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Registrant's Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended.
(3)	The proposed maximum offering price per unit is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based on the average of the high and low prices of the shares of Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on June 4, 2026 (such date being within five business days of the date that this registration statement was first filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act). 
</ffd:OfferingNote>
    <ffd:OfferingNote contextRef="offrl_2" id="ixv-254">(1)	Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), this registration statement also covers such an indeterminate amount of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("Common Stock"), as may become issuable to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends and similar events.
(2)	The The amount registered consists of up to 120,000 shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2021 Incentive Plan.
(3)	The proposed maximum offering price per unit is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based on the average of the high and low prices of the shares of Common Stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on June 4, 2026 (such date being within five business days of the date that this registration statement was first filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in accordance with Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act). </ffd:OfferingNote>
</xbrl>
